The month of December is not usually known to be an especially spicy part of the NBA calendar most seasons, but for fans of the Boston Celtics, the dominance of their favorite ball club has been enough to buoy an otherwise threadbare part of the season once the league’s new in-season tournament had wrapped up.
The Celtics’ ascent to the top of the league standings in the month of December has been about as good as it gets before the postseason rolls around, their undefeated record at home even fending off the desperate Detroit Pistons in the apex of their historic losing streak. So it should not surprise to see Boston listed as one of the biggest winners for Bleacher Report’s Andy Bailey this month.
“When they have at least three of Derrick White, Jrue Holiday, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, Kristaps Porzingis or Al Horford on the floor, they’re plus-11.5 points per 100 possessions,” writes Bailey.
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— Celtics Lab Podcast (@CelticsLab) December 28, 2023
“When five of them are on the floor, that number climbs to plus-13.8,” he adds. “When you watch this team in action, it’s easy to understand how they’re outscoring opponents so handily.”
“White and Holiday can squeeze opposing backcourts as well as any defensive duo in the league. Either Brown or Tatum can go for 25 on any given night and have plenty of defensive switchability of their own on the wings. Porzingis’ ability to space the floor or operate as a hub on the elbow ties everything together. Horford’s experience and versatility allow him to replace just about anyone in that first five.”
“This holiday season, all of the above was on vivid display,” writes the B/R analyst.
Boston's Jaylen Brown calls Luke Kornet 'the ultimate teammate'. https://t.co/ws8EwdcNEC pic.twitter.com/bvZbTDhHyX
— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) December 30, 2023
The Celtics are currently 11-2 in the month of December so far, tied for the league’s most wins that month with the Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Clippers.
And with all three ball clubs having just 2 losses over that same stretch, that the Celtics own a win over both (including a December Clips victory) and have a better overall record than either, we can see why Bailey went with Boston here.
Boston Celtics at San Antonio Spurs: How to watch, stream, injuries, game time, lineups https://t.co/QLByXbOp57 pic.twitter.com/TzwyVXjP9r
— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) December 31, 2023
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